Did you know that during retirement, you can use your required minimum distribution (RMD) as a qualified charitable distribution (QDC)?

Not only does this benefit the organization(s) you’re making a charitable contribution to, but it helps you too! By making a QDC, you are meeting your RMD and reducing your taxable income. If you’re interested in learning more about QDC’s or incorporating philanthropy into your financial plan, give us a call at 978-283-0748.

****Any tax advice contained herein is of a general nature. Further, you should seek specific tax advice from your tax professional before pursuing any idea contemplated herein.

If you see hockey sticks outside Of Front Doors…

From George Surabian

Joey,

      I didn’t know the young man but we are a long time hockey family.  This hits home big time. In hockey, “sticks out” refers to a tradition where players, fans, and community members leave hockey sticks outside their homes or in other prominent locations to show respect and solidarity, particularly after a death or tragedy within the hockey community

    Pass the word.

Castaways

The Most Preposterous Top Ten List of All Time

My comment- Your south shore bias is showing and Feitelburg putting Fall River at 2 and New Bedford at 4 may be one of the most ridiculous zero credibility calls of all time. Bananas.

Like Bananas Bananas.

Bananas and Preposterous.

Gloucester’s 5th Annual Culture Splash Returns for Summer 2025 with Fresh Experiences and Expanded Lineup

Gloucester, MA – July 10, 2025 – Discover Gloucester is thrilled to announce the return of Culture Splash, now in its fifth year, running Thursdays through August 28, 2025, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. This beloved summer series invites residents and visitors alike to dive into Gloucester’s dynamic arts scene and storied seafaring heritage with a host of free events—from live music on the waterfront and contemporary dance showcases to twilight film screenings, pop‑up gallery talks, hands‑on artist demonstrations, and more.

Highlights for 2025 include:

  • New live painting demos aboard the complimentary harbor shuttle, thanks to the Rocky Neck Art Colony.
  • Live music on both sides of the harbor, including the Harbor Loop Concert Series and music at the Cultural Center at Rocky Neck.
  • The 2nd Annual Paint Out on Rocky Neck on August 14, a vibrant collaboration between Cape Ann Plein Air, Rocky Neck Art Colony, and Art Haven. Watch artists bring the Neck to life with brushstrokes and color!
  • A lively evening of Celtic tunes with the Cape Ann Guitar Society—an unforgettable night of music and community spirit, August 21 on Rocky Neck. 
  • Free third Thursday Music Therapy nights at The Cut – Stay in Harbortown for after hours at The Cut with free shows the third Thursday of the month. 

During Culture Splash, Gloucester’s two state‐designated cultural districts—Rocky Neck and Harbortown—are linked by a free water shuttle each Thursday from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. by Cape Ann Harbor Tours. This seamless connection lets “Splashers” explore more than 50 local organizations and individual artists showcasing everything from public art to concerts and more.

“Year after year, Culture Splash brings together our city’s creative community in a way that’s both inspiring and accessible,” said Mayor Greg Verga. “I’m proud to see Gloucester’s cultural districts collaborate so effectively—this series shines a spotlight on our hometown talent, supports small businesses, and gives everyone a reason to celebrate life on America’s Oldest Seaport.”

The Culture Splash lineup is crafted each year by a volunteer committee of artists, arts organizations, and civic partners from both Harbortown and Rocky Neck—supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, the City of Gloucester, and Discover Gloucester.

“This year, we’re excited to feature a new live‑painting experience on the harbor shuttle,” said Elizabeth Carey, CEO of Rocky Neck Art Colony. “2025 marks our fifth collaboration with Discover Gloucester, and our goal is simple: bring more art directly into the heart of the community—on land and water.”

“Culture Splash is a shining example of how Gloucester’s creative community can work together to offer something truly special,” said Michael DeKoster, Executive Director of Maritime Gloucester. “It’s been exciting to see the series evolve over the years, and I look forward to the ways our cultural districts will continue to collaborate and showcase the arts, heritage, and innovation that make Gloucester such a unique destination.”

Whether you’re an art lover, history buff, or simply seeking an unforgettable summer evening by the sea, Culture Splash offers something for everyone. 
For a full schedule and event details, visit https://discovergloucester.com/culture-splash.

A cloudy day on Magnolia Pier

Took a walk to Magnolia Pier after the rain.  We did need the rain and the flowers are happy.  Magnolia Harbor was quiet and peaceful with Kettle Island waiting for kayakers.

Rocky Neck Art Colony presents: Boundless: The Art of the Book – Opening July 17

Location: The Cultural Center at Rocky Neck, 6 Wonson Street, Gloucester, MA
 Exhibition Dates: July 17 – August 24, 2025
 Opening Reception: Sunday, July 20, 5:00–7:00 PM
 Gallery Hours: Thursday 12–7 PM; Friday–Sunday 12–5 PM
 Admission: Free

Gloucester, MA – Rocky Neck Art Colony is pleased to announce the opening of Boundless: The Art of the Book, on view at the Cultural Center at Rocky Neck from July 17 through August 24, 2025.

This dynamic exhibition explores the rich and ever-evolving world of the book as an art form. Featuring artist books, altered books, and book illustration, Boundless showcases imaginative approaches to storytelling, visual poetry, personal narratives, and inventive book structures. Visitors will encounter works that range from the traditional to the avant-garde—books that hang, twist, stand, open like advent calendars, or defy conventional forms altogether.

The exhibition presents an array of techniques including letterpress, etching, monoprint, painting, photography, and mixed media. Through these varied practices, artists interrogate themes of memory, imagination, identity, and the contemporary moment.

An Opening Reception will be held on Sunday, July 20, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM. The public is warmly invited to view the work, meet the artists, and enjoy refreshments and lively conversation.

Boundless features contributions from a distinguished group of artists, including local creatives, university faculty, and artists affiliated with book arts communities throughout New England and beyond, including Boston, Philadelphia, New York, New Hampshire, and Maine.

Exhibiting Artists:
 Ren Barnes, Stevens Brosnihan, Rachel Church, Pamela Courtleigh, Haig Demarjian, Mary Dewey, Madge Evers, Lynda Fatalo, Cristina Hajosy, Hannah Jacoby-Brooks, Linda Kauss, Giles Laroche, Kelle Louaillier, Leslie Lyman, Fred Lynch, Claire B. Marcus, Cynthia Marsh, R. Ellis Orrall, Sarah Parella, Rhoda Rosenberg, Lynne Sausele, Mary Beth Smith, Lorna Stevens, Juni Van Dyke, Anna Vojtech, Larry Volk, Karen Watson, Antoinette Winters, Kyung Eun You.

The Rocky Neck Art Colony (RNAC), a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization, nurtures excellence in the arts through exhibitions, workshops, residencies and vibrant cultural events for its members and the public. On picturesque Rocky Neck in Gloucester, Massachusetts, RNAC operates three exhibition  spaces, open to the public for free, The Cultural Center at Rocky Neck (6 Wonson Street); The Salted Cod Arthouse (53 Rocky Neck Ave.), a partnership gallery and café; and Cove Gallery (37 Rocky Neck Ave.), open seasonally in the former gallery of local artists Gordon and Judith Goetemann. Check the website, www.rockyneckartcolony.org, for hours, openings and special events. For more information, see the website or call 978-515-7004

SAVE THE DATE

Reblogged from the Magnolia Library and Community Center.

1 Lexington Avenue, Magnolia, Gloucester, MA  01930

GUESS WHAT?? Thanks to GrillFriends we will leveling up our annual Ice Cream Social by offering more toppings so you can create your own delicious sundae. Thanks to Sherry, Allea, and the rest of the crew for sponsoring this year’s event.

Tonight’s Harbor Loop Summer Concert 2025 Canceled 7.10.2025

Not the way we wanted to start our summer season off….but due to inclement weather, tonight’s concert will have to be cancelled and postponed until September. Please stay tuned on when the new date will be rescheduled for.
🥁In the meantime, gear up instead for next weeks show with Jim ‘n’ Tonic followed by Swampanova (the band of Bim Skala Bim Music’s drummer!) This will be their Gloucester debut!

Thank you so much and so sorry again for the inconvenience by Mother Nature. See you next week!

Carol Pallazolla

Surfside Subs and Pizza Thursday 7/10 🍕🍔

𝓣𝓸𝓭𝓪𝔂’𝓼 𝓢𝓹𝓮𝓬𝓲𝓪𝓵𝓼
🍕Buy any 18” Pizza get an 18” Cheese for $5
🍕Buy any 16” Pizza get a 16” Cheese for $5

🎉Additional Specials for today!
🦞$19.99 Lobster Rolls
🍔 $4.99 cheeseburgers w/ Chips & Pickles

Photos From Inside The New Highlighner Hotel From Their Instagram Page

The Instagram page has 1105 followers at the time of this posting, link here https://www.instagram.com/thehighlinerhotel/

The website is here- https://www.thehighlinerhotel.com/

110 Main St Gloucester

From its homepage-

Introducing Gloucester’s Newest Luxury Boutique Hotel: The Highliner

We’re thrilled to announce the upcoming launch of The Highliner, Gloucester’s premier luxury boutique hotel, opening in 2025! Nestled in the heart of downtown on Main Street, The Highliner offers a truly unique and elevated hospitality experience.

The property features 11 uniquely designed rooms, some boasting two-story loft-style living spaces, ensuring an unparalleled stay. Whether you’re a visitor or a local looking for a special getaway, The Highliner promises a refined blend of comfort, elegance, and character.

On the first floor, accessible directly from Main Street, we’re excited to offer a versatile event space. This venue will host a variety of events, creating a vibrant and ever-evolving hub for the community.

The Highliner name celebrates Gloucester’s history of fishing, the arts, and its breathtaking vistas. In fishing tradition, a “highliner” represents the best of its kind—a title earned by the top fisherman who worked from the highest point of the vessel.

The Highliner is a fully renovated property, thoughtfully reimagined from top to bottom. It is poised to become a landmark destination for travelers and locals alike.

Stay connected and be the first to know about reservation availability, upcoming events, and exclusive updates by filling out the form below.

We look forward to welcoming you to The Highliner in 2025!”

NOW HIRING at Machaca! 

We’re looking to add to our incredible team!

 Open positions:
• Dishwasher
• Food Runner
• Late Night Cook
• Bartender

If you’re friendly, hardworking, and love a fast-paced environment, we want to meet you!

 Join us in downtown Gloucester and be part of something special.

 Apply by email today! info@themachaca.com

Machaca
14 Rogers St
Gloucester MA 

Tonight! William Pettit Artist Reception at Jane Deering Gallery #GloucesterMA

William Pettit | the sea between

Jane Deering Gallery 4-6pm July 10, 2025

From the gallery:

“This is an exhibit about the sea.
The horizon is the destination.
Where the sea and the sky meet, there is no reference to land.
Hope and longing are between here and there.
A storm might be approaching or subsiding, it’s not clear in the stillness.
There are questions of geomorphology, but distance is measured in the heart, not in miles.
These are paintings about painting.
They are an homage to Fitz Henry Lane, whose stillness of brush reflecting safe harbor contrasts and balances the perils of voyage and of distance.
They are an homage to Captain Harvey MacKay, whose home was the Jane Deering Gallery at 19 Pleasant Street in 1842. His ship “Boston” was struck by lightning and lost on May, 26, 1830.
They are an homage to poet Charles Olson, who saw Gloucester in mythical terms and in actual terms, a place made up of people.
In his poetry of space, Gloucester moves Outward—to the sea.
These paintings speak of the sea as a distance measured in the heart, not in miles.
They work in the space between geology and poetry, a mythical expanse of loss and hope. They are about moving forward and about what is left behind.
In the eternal space between here and there, there is the finite stillness of the present, measured by the heart. Solitude is the intimate and immediate present of being here, in a brushstroke or a drip, among the winds and the currents.

  • William Albert Pettit

    About the Artist

    William Albert Pettit III is a Professor of Studio Art at Temple University Rome and at Iowa State Rome Program, Italy. He specializes in historical materials and techniques related to Italian art. He currently teaches Fresco Painting, Medieval Materials, and Darkroom Photography. He is a painter and published poet and works with photography, sculpture, music, video, and installation. His recent shows at NBWM and at The Vincent House, MVY, are about working with museum collections and records to revalorize and reinhabit stories of our past. Pettit has exhibited extensively in the United States and Italy. He is the 2024-2025 recipient of the Dean’s Research Grant and 2019 recipient of the OVPR Arts and Humanities Grant from Temple University Rome. His research on pigments has been supported by residences and shared at conferences. The artist lives in Tarano, Italy, where he maintains a small vineyard, olive grove, and garden.

    This exhibition was supported by a Temple University Rome Dean’s Research Grant.

    UPCOMING AT JANE DEERING GALLERY

    DOWNTOWN AND ANNISQUAM SUMMER 2025